Ex-Official Claims He Was Witness to Bribe Being Paid to Digambar Kamat

Panaji: In what could spell trouble for former Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat in Louis Berger pay off scam, a former official, now under arrest, has claimed before a court that he was a witness to bribe being given to him.

A Wachasunder, former director of JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) water project in Goa, told Judicial Magistrate BP Deshpande on Monday that "he was witness to the payment of bribe money to Kamat and former Public Works Department Minister Churchill Alemao," according to a senior Goa Police Crime Branch official.

61-year-old Kamat has been questioned by the Crime Branch in connection with alleged bribery in awarding of a consultancy contract to the US firm for a major water development project in Goa.

"Wachasunder gave graphic details before the magistrate on how the bribe was paid, where it was paid and how much money was paid to Kamat and Alemao," the Crime Branch official said, requesting anonymity.

The magistrate has recorded Mr Wachasunder's statement under section 164 of CrPC. His custodial interrogation had thrown light on certain facts about this case, the officer said.

Mr Wachasunder has alleged that Mr Kamat was paid money on the various occasions.

Mr Wachasunder has applied for the bail, and the arguments on it are being heard in the court today.

A former employee of Louis Berger company has also stated before the court that he had witnessed the four transactions in which alleged bribes were paid to Kamat and Alemao as per the instructions of Mr Wachasunder, the Crime Branch said.

First to be arrested in the case, Mr Wachasunder has shown his inclination to be approver in the case, the police said. "He has shown interest to be state approver. But we are yet to decide on it," the official said.